Sec. 604. Severe weather extramural testbeds

395 words·~2 min read·/bill/117/hr/2153/ih/section-604

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Congress finds the following: The Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 instructs NOAA to prioritize improving weather data, modeling, computing, forecasting and warnings for the protection of life and property and for the enhancement of the national economy. The Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 has also mandated that the NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research prioritize involving extramural partners to leverage existing public and private resources to expand and improve weather forecasting and modeling as quickly and efficiently as possible.

There is a need for additional weather research and forecasting innovation given the increasing number of severe weather events and their increasing effect on public health, safety, and national and regional economic well-being. Not later than 180 days after the enactment of this Act, the Assistant Administrator for the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research shall establish a program to create one or more weather research testbeds, hosted by extramural university based partners, to develop improved understanding of and forecast capabilities for atmospheric events and their impacts.

Resources for such testbeds shall not be taken from the existing NOAA cooperative institutes. The program described in subsection

(b)shall focus on the following activities: Improving the fundamental understanding of weather, including the boundary layer and other processes affecting high impact weather events. Improving the understanding of how the public receives, interprets, and responds to warnings and forecasts of high impact weather events that endanger life and property. Research and development, and transfer of knowledge, technologies, and applications to the National Weather Service and other appropriate agencies and entities, including the United States weather industry and academic partners. In carrying out the program under this section, the Assistant Administrator for Oceanic and Atmospheric Research shall collaborate with and support the non-Federal weather research community, which includes institutions of higher education, private entities, and nongovernmental organizations, by making funds available through competitive grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements. Preference shall be given to applicants with significant expertise in severe weather research that are co-located with existing NOAA intramural weather related laboratories. Of the funds authorized in subsection (e), not less than 80 percent shall be dedicated to research of extramural academic partners. For each of fiscal years 2022 and 2023, there are authorized out of funds appropriated to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, $10,000,000 to carry out the activities of this section.